


Vir'Evune

by faerieavalon



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-10-18 18:28:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20643692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faerieavalon/pseuds/faerieavalon
Summary: Evune’rasa Maelle Limaen Lavellan was born at night, under a clear sky, and on calm waters aboard a Dalish sea aravel. Her parents had tried for years to have children and she was their dream. For the first seven years of her life she lived free. Then her family was taken, her magic manifested, she and her cousin Inean barely escaped with their lives, and she was adopted into a Free Marches clan. They couldn't be more different than her birth family. A chance to escape their judgement, even for a little while, drew her to the Conclave and another violent change. Blessed or cursed by the mark in her hand, she wasn't sure. She would figure it out later, if she lived to tell the tale.A list of short stories and drabbles for a Solavellan Inquisitor, mostly by prompt request on Tumblr. I'm discontinuing these as I've up-cycled this character into a different story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shortly after the events of Trespasser, Eve disbands the Inquisition and heads off on her own path to follow her love. If there's a way to help him, to keep him from losing himself along the way, she will find it. First, she has to say good bye.

Morning light filtered through the trees, catching in the slow moving river and the curls of her hair. A soft breeze shifted the branches to warm her bare face with its touch. She smiled and closed her eyes, welcoming the moment of peace.

“I know it’s been a while. I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

She opened her pack and lifted a bright red apple from deep within. Crawling across the stones, she set her back against the pedestal and dangled her feet over the edge. Small fish swam circular patterns in her shadow. They made her smile. The crunch of her first bite into the ripe fruit echoed softly across the water and sent them scattering.

“Where did I leave off?”

She tapped her cheek gently, as if toying with a thought, before breaking into a grin.

“Oh, yes,” she continued between bites. “They’re still mad at me. They say they’re not but I can see it in their faces. For sending them on their way, for wanting to be far from their shemlen cities, for being tired of fighting. For not wearing their stupid shoes.”

She laughed. The bittersweet sound caught in her chest. It halted her words, her breath, her movement. She could barely breathe through the sudden pain. Apple clenched in a tight grip against her chest, she lowered her head. Her dark hair fell in a protective curtain around her face, ringlets shutting out the light. She wouldn’t let anyone see her cry. Not before and certainly not now.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Her voice shrunk as her body curled in on itself. The apple fell from her grip, rolling off the cliff’s edge and into the water. It bobbed aimlessly within her sight. Bright red against the muted grays and clear water, it helped her focus.

“None of it matters.”

She shook her head, tossing her hair back. Tears in the corners of her eyes couldn’t be brave enough to fall against her will. A smile spread across her lips. It was forced and thin, but it was better than crying.

“Sorry. I know I promised I wouldn’t be sad. Not everything is terrible. Dorian has invited me to Minrathous. He’s to grant me access to their libraries. Whatever Tevinter has hidden away about our People will soon be at my fingertips. I won’t be able to come back here for a while.” Her smile softened, turning genuine once more. “Oh! And I brought something for you.”

She rolled to her side and dug through the bag once more. With great care she lifted a leatherbound book. Loosening the closure, she looked through the pages, moving each one as if it were to fall apart at a moment’s notice. The drawings within still brought back such fond memories. She removed one loose page from the back, hugged the book to her chest, and set it on the pedestal of the great figure looming above her.

“You forgot this.” Her cheeks flushed slightly. “I know you might have left it on purpose but I want you to have it back. Just for now. I can’t keep it safe on the road.”

The single page in her hand went back into her bag. She set another apple by the book and climbed the pedestal. Her forehead folded in concentration until she found her balance. She clasped the broad nose of the wolf statue in her right hand and her left forearm, and leaned her forehead to the cool stone.

“Ar lath ma vhenan. I can feel the empty space at my side where you belong. No one will fill it but you,” she whispered, one tear sliding down her cheek. “Var lath vir sueldin. And until I see you again, so will I.”

Red lips pressed a kiss against the silent stone and she lingered. The road called. The wind blew. The sun climbed its way through the morning. Ten breaths and she was ready. Without another word, she climbed back down, collected her things, squared her shoulders against her heavy heart, and walked away.

The sound of her steps disappeared into the thick forest. The trees waved lazy patterns in the cooling winds of late summer, surely not waving goodbye. The tiny little fish grew brave and nibbled at the half-eaten apple she left behind in their lazy river, not worried for her future. A figure in the shadows of the wolf clutched at a book of memories from a time when he was just a man and a fruit as bright as warm lips and soft promises. He knew better. He knew his heart would thud in his chest even as it walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt request: Shemlen – Lavellan’s first encounter with a human

Eve begged for a week until her mother relented. Now she sat in the dinghy, fists clinging to her mother’s skirt, and watched the coast get closer and closer by the second. At five summers, she knew she was old enough to see the city for herself instead of hearing about it from Inean. This would be her best birthday ever.

Quicker than changing course at seat, they were docked and on solid ground. The sights and sounds that greeted her were overwhelming. They’d taken her into port before. A quiet village of elves or an empty beach to rest and have a picnic while her father and the men worked was something entirely different. People of all shapes and sizes wandered about. Some were what Inean called shems, a bit like elves but wider and with rounded ears. Others were very tall, with muscles everywhere, and curved horns on the sides of their heads. They were loud and tall and the whole place smelled terrible. Eve grinned. She couldn’t be happier. 

“Psst, Eve,” Inean whispered in her ear and gave her braids a light tug. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

Looking up at her mother, Eve pleaded with her eyes. Maelle sighed and shook a finger at them both. “No trouble from either of you, you hear? Be back at this very spot before the sun reaches midday. Promise?”

“We promise,” they sang in unison. 

Inean grabbed her hand and broke into a run. He was taller so it was hard for her to keep up. After her second stumble, he gave in and she climbed onto his back. He ran just as easily carrying her and she could see everything as they passed by. From the docks through the streets, he took her past people dressed in all sorts of clothing she’d never seen before. Their hats made her laugh the hardest. He finally stopped at a stone wall. Giving her a boost up, she climbed higher and sat on the ledge. Inean joined her a moment later.

On the other side of the wall was a small garden and the back of a house. The flowers around them wilted slightly in the summer heat but she could still smell them from her perch. By a small pond sat a boy. He was sticking his arms into the water and laughing as he splashed it about. He looked like any other boy she ever saw but his ears, like some of the adults back in the city, were round. Eve touched the tips of her pointed ears, feeling for the first time how different they really were.

“Where are we?” she whispered.

“This is a shem’s house,” Inean answered back just as quietly. “Can you believe they live like this? Most never set foot on a ship or ever see the water. Living behind walls like they can shut the world out.”

“Must be awful.”

“Nah,” he shook his head. “They like it this way. Don’t see the world as something they’re living in but something they have to control. Can’t feel bad for people that don’t want to change, right?”

Eve shrugged. Her mamae always said you had to want to change to be better. That was probably what he meant.

“Who is he?” She tilted her head towards the boy. 

“That’s a shem. A little one, like you.” Inean nudged her with his elbow, “But still a shem. You’ve gotta watch out for them when they’re little like that. He’s not dangerous yet. The big ones will think you’re going to hurt ‘em if you get too close though.”

Eve snorted and shook her head. He had to be making that up. She stopped asking questions, knowing he would just make up more stories. The boy seemed harmless enough. If she squinted she could see the little fish in the water. Their scales reflected the light each time they dodged his grasping hands. 

Then he caught one. With a shout of victory he pulled it from the water and bashed it against the rocks by his side. Eve gasped, too horrified to look away. The little boy, so sweet a moment before, was still laughing as he crushed the fish again and again on the stones. By the time he stopped it was a mess of scales and bits clutched in his fat fist. A door to the house opened, causing him to brandish his prize with a grin.

A woman stepped outside and praised him for his victory. Eve didn’t hear the words, only staring at the poor fish. The clan hunted and fished, so it wasn’t the first dead thing she saw. The way the animal had been killed, the savagery as he laughed, felt wrong. 

‘You there!” The woman shouted, pointing at Eve and Inean. “Get down this instant! You don’t belong here!”

“Quick now!” Inean tugged her arm and slid down the wall. “Can’t let them catch you! Come on, Eve! Run!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt Request: Nuven'in – A childhood dream

She heard the birds calling overhead before she opened her eyes. The salt spray hit her cheeks and she laughed, throwing her arms wide to catch the wind. Her legs were curled tight in the webbing of the shroud so she could lean back over the rail, waving her arms up and down like the birds do when they fly. If she tried hard enough she could fly away, too.

“Where would you go if you could fly, little one?”

“I’m not little.” She stuck her tongue out at him to make her point. “I’m going to be six in the summer.”

Eve smiled and twisted until she could see her cousin’s face. He smiled as he watched the birds, too.

“Past the mountains,” she grinned and waved her hand towards the coastline. “Then I could tell mamae and papae what lived on the other side.”

“How would you find your way back?”

“I’d follow the stars like you showed me.”

“Very good.”

Inean nodded and held his hands up to her, wiggling his fingers. Eve untangled herself from the ropes and threw herself into his arms. He caught her and ruffled her hair, making her scrunch her nose at him.

“Swing me!”

With a laugh, he did. Hands caught in his tight grip, she let her legs swing free as he spun her around and around. Eve closed her eyes so she wouldn’t get dizzy and imagined being a bird again, caught in the updraft of a strong wind. She laughed with him and squealed happily as he picked up speed.

The sun was warm on her skin. She could feel it tingling. It kept getting hotter and hotter, feeling like it was starting to burn. The air around her became hard to breathe, too. Worry tensed in her heart but she was still spinning around, holding tight to her cousin’s hands.

“Inean, I wanna stop.” Her voice only shook a little.

** _“It’s too late to stop now.”_ **

The voice that answered her wasn’t her cousin. She opened her eyes and tugged her arms, trying to let go. The person holding her hands still looked like her cousin on the outside but his eyes glowed a bright red. He stopped spinning but wouldn’t let go. The more she struggled, the harder he held on.

“You’re hurting me! Let go!”

Her not-cousin grinned, showing rows of sharp teeth. **_“I’ll never let go of you, sweet thing. Your fear is too rich.”_**

Eve screamed at the top of her lungs, looking all around her for a rescue. There was no one. The ship was gone. The sea was gone. All that she saw was smoke and ash and this creature that looked less and less like her cousin by the moment.

“You’re a demon!”

She mustered her courage and tried to kick her captor in the shins. Deshanna said she had to fight them, to show them she’s stronger. He laughed again, unaffected by her blows.

“You better let go right now! Deshanna will make you!”

He growled at that, pulling her close enough to smell the decay on his breath. His fingers dug into her arms, nearly drawing blood.

_ **“She doesn’t care about you, little one. She would thank me for taking you away.”** _

Eve’s courage broke. Looking into his eyes, she felt her own fear take hold. It raced down her spine, making her shiver even as the air around them continued to burn. Everything loomed larger

**_“Yesss,”_** the creature hissed, **_“there you are. Feel it? No one needs you. No one wants you. You’re just a shadow, reminding them of who you took away. They will never accept you for who you are.”_**

“That’s a lie,” she whimpered. “Inean loves me. He’d miss me. He’d come save me.”

_ **“Where is he now then? He doesn’t care about you. You just get in the way of him fitting in. He’d never miss you.”** _

The shadows around them grew deeper and taller, closing in on her space. Her skin still tingled and burned, turning shades of pink and red to match the hands of the monster that clung so tightly to them.

“Liar! Inean!” Eve shrieked, her panic taking hold. _“Inean, help!!!”_

Eve woke with a start, flailing her arms and legs at invisible attackers. Eyes scrunched shut, she fought hard for her life. Two strong arms wrapped around her body, pinning hers against her sides.

“Da’len, shhh,” a soft voice whispered. “It’s me. I’m here.”

Opening her eyes, she realized the dream was over. It was dark inside the aravel. A cool breeze hit her still wet cheeks. She stared at the face of her new captor. His eyes were clear blue like the sea. It was really him this time.

“Inean! You saved me!” She buried her face in his shoulder and let the tears flow.

“It was just a bad dream, little one.” He relaxed enough to rub comforting circles against her back. “I’ll always be here for you.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt request: A Solavellan moment in Val Royeaux

She could remember the first time they came to this cafe. It was before they named her Inquisitor, before she knew what kind of monster she faced, and before she felt her whole world change. Eve sat in the corner booth with the wall to her back so she could watch people mingle and flow about the room. They had a pattern and she could catch it if she watched carefully. By the grace of her new title, they left her alone. It was better than sneering. The others were off doing their own things. For once, she could just be Eve.

Between the patrons danced figures in matching jackets and masks. They carried trays with steaming cups, carafes, and plates of delicate little cakes. Still warm, they smelled sweet as they passed her by. One tray in particular caught her attention. It was piled so high with cakes and fruit slices it threatened to topple. The poor man carrying it had to use both hands. The cake mountain was dripping with icing. She stared in wonder as one river of sticky icing worked its way over the edge and landed with a thick plop on the shoe of a woman who happened to be in the exact wrong place. Of course she flew into a wild rage, throwing her hands up in the air. As she did, she caught the edge of the tray and sent the cake crashing to the floor. The man with his now empty hands fled the scene.

Eve clapped her hands tight over her lips to contain her giggles. Orlais was so strange. From that woman’s reaction, you would think this ruined her entire life. It was only a pair of shoes. A ghastly pair of shoes with far too many jewels and heels so high no person in their right mind would be able to walk correctly, she noted with a small measure of satisfaction. What a waste of materials.

“Why do you do that?” 

Solas’ voice so soft and close startled Eve nearly out of her seat. He slid into the chair by her side, setting a delicate pink box on the table between them. He hardly ever smiled when the others were looking. Just a polite lift of his lips was all he gave them. But not for Eve. His smile grew the longer he looked at her. The corners of his eyes bunched up and she felt her face grow warm from his attention. She broke first, as she always did. Her hands fell away from her face as she looked away, leaving her crooked grin exposed.

“Do what?”

“Hide your face when you laugh.”

“I do not,” she muttered pitifully. 

“You do,” he insisted softly. “Not always, but you do.”

Eve’s blush deepened, heating all the way to the tips of her ears and the back of her neck. Of course she did. She didn’t know why, it was just a habit. Logically she knew that it was nonsense, a habit borne of a time when she felt she needed to be small and unnoticed in the world. Now there was no hiding from anyone. Swallowing her pride, she looked up at him and laughed softly at her own discomfort. Solas inclined his head in acceptance of defeat.

He lifted the lid of the box between them slowly, making sure she was watching. It felt like he was opening a gift just for her to see. The noise and activity around them faded from her focus. Bit by bit he revealed his prize. First she saw bright pink icing. It nearly matched the box. Then little white flowers, smaller than any she ever saw in life. At the top was a small pile of strawberries fanned out like an opening flower itself. She could smell the sugar and fruit so strongly it made her mouth water. 

“What is it?” She whispered, almost afraid to raise her voice.

“Cake.” 

Eve could hear the mirth in his voice. She couldn’t resist rolling her eyes at him.

“I’m not blind, Solas. What kind of cake is it?”

“They call it fraise joie. It tastes of fresh strawberries and innocent joy, so they say. I discovered it last time we were in Val Royeaux and could not resist the opportunity to indulge.” He nudged the box her way and handed her a delicate little fork. “Care to join me?”

Eve looked from the cake up at Solas, and back again before taking the offered utensil. The sincerity in his voice told her this was something he truly enjoyed. Like all the other small facts he shared, she tucked it away in a secret place of sentiment. Only she knew. 

“I believe I will.”

The cake folded under the pressure of her fork as if its solid form was an illusion. Beneath the surface the cake itself was faintly yellow with a jam-like center. She lifted the small section to her lips carefully, not wanting to lose a single crumb. As soon as the flavors hit her tongue, she let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes. She was instantly brought back to a warm summer day, picking wild berries with Inean. She ate more than she picked, leaving her lips and fingers stained bright red. He teased her for it and raced her all the way back to camp. She’d laughed so hard her sides hurt. Rolling her tongue through her mouth, she devoured every morsel with relish. Pulling the now clean fork from her lips, she opened her eyes. 

Solas cleared his throat roughly. Eve lifted an eyebrow at him in silent question. Then she noticed how pink his cheeks and ears were and how wide his eyes had grown. Her own eyes widened, unsure if she should apologize for her display or crawl under the table and hope to be swallowed up by the earth.

“That was, uh, enlightening.” 

Solas scooped up a portion on his fork and leaned a little closer. His voice cracked at the edges, curling heat in places other than her face.

“Here,” he murmured. “Have another taste.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lavellan tries to confess her feelings but is interrupted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shortly after they arrive in Skyhold, before the dust has a chance to settle, Eve comes to realize her feelings for the apostate elf might be more than friendly. (Pre-Fade kiss)

Eve knew what love was in a technical sense. She loved her cousin. He was her best friend through the worst times of her life. Now that he was so far away she felt adrift but never lacking in his affection. They wrote when able and would always have each other, no matter the distance. But he was family. She had observed romantic love among others in the clan. There would be a lot of holding hands, soft words, shared meals, and eventually shared beds. Asking Deshanna about the difference between familial and romantic love only got her a smile, short laugh, and the answer that one day she would know. She didn’t believe that day would ever come.

Sitting in the high-backed chair at his desk while he paced back and forth as he spoke, Eve realized she finally understood. Somewhere along their journey she had strayed from the path of solitude. What started as small conversations about history and magic had grown into shared meals and drinks, long nights that turned into days, and familiarity that stretched beyond just being friends. No one else saw him smile or laugh so hard he snorted just a little. No one listened to her little worries like he did, taking them as seriously as she needed. Around the others she was Herald or Inquisitor. In private, he called her Eve. When he did, she couldn’t help but smile every time. She loved Solas. 

She blushed at the idea, ducking her head quickly into the pages of the book she held. Eve had no idea how to approach him with this new information. It wasn’t the same as talking about spirits or magic or theories. Her fingers trembled on the edges of the book. She took a few deep breaths and did her best to swallow back her fears. It was better to confront it now while it was still new. That way if he didn’t feel the same it wouldn’t hurt as much.

“Solas,” she began softly, “may I ask you something?”

“Of course. What is on your mind?” 

His smile sat easily on his lips as he approached, leaning on the edge of his table to wait for her to speak. He was always so patient and attentive, not hurrying her along like everyone else. For once it didn’t make things easier. Her confidence fled, taking her eloquence with it.

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

A cycle of emotions swept across his face so fast she almost missed it. It lifted his brows slightly and parted his lips. Before she could sort out what it might mean he was smiling again. Solas nodded.

“Well, yes. I do believe we are friends. Why do you ask?”

Eve rose from the chair, swallowing down her anxiety. She closed the tome that she didn’t want to hide behind and gently set it on the table. There was a logical way to approach every situation and she was going to find it here, too. Unable to look him in the eye any longer, she looked out at the blank walls of the rotunda he claimed. The piles of belongings, books and boxes waiting to be relocated, helped her focus. 

“I’ve gained a lot of friends since the Conclave. More than I expected, honestly. They come to me with their problems, listen to mine, and we trust each other in the field of battle. But they still see me as Herald or some kind of savior. I’m not a person to them.”

Circling around the edge of the table, she kept her fingers pressed to the heavy surface. The smooth wood grounded her. Solas remained passively still. Eve glanced up to see he was still smiling. His lips curled a little at the edges like they always did when he was studying something interesting. That she recognized the look and was the subject of his attention only made her blush deeper. 

“But you don’t look at me that way. You remember I had a name first, that I have a name at all. You are kind and patient and treat me like a person. I can breathe and just be myself. It’s a relief, honestly. I worry that the elf behind the story will be forgotten one day when all this is over.”

He was so close she could reach out and take his hand. Instead, she squared her shoulders and looked up fully to see his face. The curiosity was still there but it was softer. His eyes were wider, lips slightly parted. Whether a trick of the light or wishful thinking, she almost saw a slight tinge of pink on his cheeks. 

“We’re friends but not like I’m friends with Cassandra or Dorian or Varric.” She smiled shyly for the first time in her life. “I wonder if we’re more than just -”

“Herald! There you are!” 

Josephine swept into the room. Her steps carried her quickly to Eve’s side and didn’t even stop long enough to make sure she was paying attention. She caught Eve’s arm and hooked it around her elbow, escorting her back out the way she came.

“I have a few things I need to go over with you quickly. I promise I won’t take too much of your time. These are urgent requests that require your personal attention.”

Eve looked over her shoulder at Solas as she was dragged bodily from the room. He watched her leave with a laugh and that same soft smile.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fictober '19 Prompt: Day 8 - "Can you stay?" 
> 
> Eve confronts one of her biggest failures, the loss of clan Lavellan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired in no small part by the music of Hadestown.

Eve folded the report neatly in half, then in half again. Her advisors watched her silently process the news. She didn’t look up at them. Instead she kept folding the report in half until it couldn’t be folded anymore. The final crease refusing to hold, she pressed it into the palm of her glowing hand and curled her fingers in a fist around it. Silence pressed in on her from all angles, making it hard to breathe. Scuffing her foot against the floor broke the tension enough for her to find her voice. 

“Nightingale, you have agents near Wycome.”

“Of course,” Leliana answered quickly. The sympathy in her voice made Eve flinch. “What do you need?”

“Search for survivors. I know,” Eve paused to reign in her emotions. She couldn’t spill over here. Not in front of them. They needed her to be strong. “I know chances aren’t good. But until I see my cousin’s body for myself I must believe he is out there somewhere.”

“Perhaps the alienage sheltered him.” The Ambassador offered support in the way she knew best. “I could ask as well.”

Eve nodded, still staring at the stones beneath her feet. That would keep them both busy enough they wouldn’t hover. It only left one advisor to go.

“Commander.”

He snapped to attention. “Inquisitor.”

“Find the men who did this. I want them brought to me for judgement. No matter the cost.”

She took his silence as acceptance and turned to face the door. “I think that’s enough for today. We can continue tomorrow.”

Without waiting for acknowledgement she strode from the war room. Her gaze stayed low but her shoulders squared against any challenger. She threw a hasty spell around herself just before she exited Josephine’s office. No one would notice her unless she walked directly into them or shouted. All she needed to do was make it to her room. In her own space she could breathe. She could think.

Eve began to count. Ten steps from the door to the dias. Three steps up then turn left. She faltered. The overstuffed chair, her throne, stared through her. It judged her the same way she judged others and found her lacking. She staggered back. No. There would be no respite within these stone walls. Turning her back on the chair, the staircase to her tower, she saw a line of light guiding her outside. 

Three steps down. The rug scratched at the space between her toes. Ten steps to the first set of doorways. Dodging between nobles and servants alike, she kept her eyes on her goal. Her escape. Ten more steps put her parallel with Varric’s table and fire. The side of her face felt warm as she passed. Her spell held. No one saw, or if they did they didn’t make the mistake of trying to stop her. Ten more steps and she was outside. The fading sun pointed the way. Amber and gold streamed across the courtyard at the stables. Yes. She would make it.

Twenty long strides. Turn. Twenty more. The dirt crunched beneath her feet. She didn’t bother holding the spell. Appearing from nothing startled a few passers-by but she kept moving. She could hear her hart snort from his stall. He would help. 

“Inquisitor?”

Blackwall calling her name made her stumble again. Left hand still clutching the cursed report, her right sank fingers into the fur at the base of the beast’s neck. She froze in place.

“I heard about what happened to your clan. I’m so sorry.”

Eve nodded. She didn’t trust her voice. A knot rolled in the back of her throat and down to her chest. It pulled her tight, like an overdrawn bow string about to snap. Throwing herself onto Durlahn’s muscular back, she whispered a single word into his neck.

“Away.”

The hart was smarter and larger than a horse. She trusted him to keep her safe no matter the path they chose to tread. His feet made heavy, thick sounds as he took her out of the stables, across the courtyard and to the gate. She closed her eyes and tucked her face against his warm fur. Five strides and his feet were on the other side. He made a soft noise as warning. She tightened her grip. Once she was ready he broke into a run.

The wind whipped through her hair and across her body. They followed the path away from the fortress and out into the wilds. It was cold and sharp in the mountains. She didn’t feel much of it. Trying to contain the scream building within her chest was enough heat to keep her warm.

Then he stopped. Eve heard nothing but the quiet sounds of animals and wind. She lifted her face and opened her eyes. Just out of reach she could see the walls of Skyhold. The soldiers walking the walls looked like specks of dust in the wind. It was far enough.

Eve half climbed down, half fell from her companion’s back. Hands and knees deep in the snow she finally let go. A keening pain rumbled in her chest, building in volume and pressure until it burst from her lips in a painful cry. Fire burned beneath her palms, melting the snow down to the frozen earth below. Her voice reached far and wide, sending a flock of birds into flight. Durlahn stayed vigilant, guarding her back.   
She screamed until her throat burned and her voice cracked. Her magic flickered and flashed until she was spent. Exhaustion settled into her bones to replace the pain. She sagged against the ground. Her head leaned so far down it landed against her still clenched hands pressing into the earth.

“Eve.”

His voice pierced her misery like a heated knife. She could only whimper in answer. The strength for words or movement was gone. Solas approached her slowly. His steps normally made little to no sound but this time she could hear him crunching into the snow. 

“Eve. Please answer me.”

Leaning on her side, she looked up. He crouched by her side. The pain in his face wasn’t the same sympathy the others had shown her. His was more familiar. He knew how she truly felt. 

“They’re gone, Solas.” The gravel in her voice surprised her. Each word scratched its way to freedom, taking some of her misery with it. “They cared for me and now they’re dead.”

He nodded. In that small act he broke through walls no one else could reach. Eve crawled to him and he took her into his arms. The rough material of his sweater scratched at her cheek, grounding her in the world. She opened her hands, letting the ash remains of the report catch in the wind and fly free. The tears that came after shook her to her core but the panic was already spent. Closing her eyes tight, she listened to his heart beat and felt only the lazy circles he rubbed into her back.

Eve didn’t know how she got back to her room. It didn’t really matter. Solas was with her. He lit the fire with a wave of his hand and sat her on the edge of the bed. Limp limbs and fogged mind unable to function, he had to help her peel the layers of clothes from her body. His hands were confident and kind and he didn’t ask anything of her. Redressed in a dry tunic, he even tucked her under her blankets. He moved to leave and her hand shot out of its own will. She clutched the edge of his sweater in her fingers and stared up at him with wide, desperate eyes.

“Can you stay? Please?” She swallowed, her throat still raw. “I don’t think I can be alone right now.”

He closed his eyes and let out a long breath before he nodded. Solas took her hand in both of his and kissed her finger. “I will try.”

Slipping off his sweater, necklace and footwraps, he slid into bed with her and took her into his arms. No words passed between them. The steady rhythm of his heart beneath her ear helped her focus on the life still around her. She didn’t know what happened to Inean. He was lucky and strong. He was a survivor. She would wait for news before losing hope. The rest, though, the rest were family even if they didn’t always treat her kindly. Deshanna had meant well. They had wished her love and luck and now they were gone. The list of people that she loved and lost grew behind her but in the soft blankets and the arms of the only man to capture her heart, she could find solace. The sun would rise again and so would she.


End file.
